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Tag Archives: anzco

Since the 19th October 111 union members and their families have been without work and wages while their bosses have demanded they accept 20% pay cuts and changes in their hours – the small community of Rangitikei (Near Palmerston North) are effectively being starved out.

As locked out worker Steve McGinity told the Manawatu Standard: “We’re not just doing this for our kids, we’re doing it for all meat workers and for all kiwis who are facing attacks on their work rights.”

Among numerous unsung hero’s, the unions, workers activist groups such as Beyond Resistance and Occupy’s (including our very own Occupy Otautahi) have supplied food, support at the picket line and donated much needed funds. See the article below for details on recent actions in our city.

Saturday 3rd December promises to be an important date for the locked out Canterbury Meat Packer workers. ANZCO, which owns and operates CMP, happens to supply it’s meat patties to a well known brand of fast food restaurants. McDonald’s NZ is CMP’s biggest contract and with CMP rejecting the workers latest offer of a 10% pay cut and petitions, lobbying and press releases getting us nowhere, it’s now time to take to the streets.

On Saturday pickets are taking place across the country, a call out by CTU coordinator Simon Oosterman has so far confirmed 16 stores nationwide – from Invercargill all the way to Whangarei – that will be hit from 11am onwards.

Here in Christchurch, Riccarton McDonald’s will be our store of choice. Located on the corner of Riccarton Rd and Matipo, we’ll kick off from 11am. For those keen to join a march to the store meet at South Hagley Park, next to the hospital at 10.00am. The march will head up through Riccarton Rd where we hope to encourage passers by to join us and spread the word of the CMP lockout.

The aim of the picket is to raise awareness, ask people to choose somewhere else for their lunch, gather some much needed funds and get some media attention on this desperate story. You can help by sharing this post, telling your mates and getting yourself to this important day of action.

We’ll see you there!

CMP ANZCO Solidarity Picket – 11.00am, Saturday 3rd December,

Riccarton Rd Mcdonalds (corner of Matipo and Riccarton Rd),

Pre event march – 10.00am, Saturday 3rd Decmber,

South Hagley Park, Opposite Hospital – to – Riccarton Rd McDonald’s

If you’re based outside of Otautahi/Christchurch and want to find out where your local picket is simply click on this facebook event page. If your outside of Aotearoa, help by spreading this story as far and as wide as you can, the CMP crew need everything we can muster.

News of this event and the ongoing story will continue to flow from the O.S.N blog.